Lubricating system.



E. O. COOPER. LUBRICATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

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INVENTOR W a 6 wrz/ WIT/VESSE S.

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hicle work, the crank ERWIN C. COOIIEiR, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIG'NOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION F MICHIGAN.

LUBRICATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 19.14..

Application filed January 27, 1918. Serial No. 744,452.

To all whom it may concern 130 it known that I, Euwix citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This inrention relates to hydrocarbon motors, and particularly to means for oiling the bearings of the crank shaft and of the driven shaft to which the crank shaft is connected.

In hydrocarbon motors used for motor veshaft of the motor is usually connected with the driven shaft through some form of friction clutch, and the forward end of the driven shaft, or clutch shaft as it is sometimes called, is generally mounted in a bearing in the rear end of the crank shaft. il'leretofore this hearing between the crank shaft and the driven shaft has been packed with grease for lubrication, or provided with other more or less n011-p0sitive lubricating devices.

The present invention has for its object particularly the positive lubrication of a bearing of this type, and it comprises means for constantly feeding oil to the bearing under pressure and for draining the surplus oil therefrom. Preferably this is combined with a constant circulation system'in which the oil in the motor crank case is pumped to the bearings and drained from the bearings 4 back into the crank case.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, and the invention consists in the features of con struction and arrangen'lent of parts hereinafter more fully described and specified in the e aims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor and its accompanying clutch casing, with parts broken away to show internal construction. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the rear main bearing of the motor crank shaft and the forward end of the clutch shaft mounted therein; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the motor crank shaft.

The invention is shown as six-cylinder hydrocarbon motor of the type usually employed in motor vehicles, and in the drawings, the crank case of the motor is represented at 10 with the cylinder cast 1 The S; throw 1 th grr ve lugs 11 mounted thereon.

applied to a (,rmrrzu. a i main boarilw's l3 .ered through the passage 39 is shaft 12 is"shown as mounted in four 141-, 15 and 10. For each of the cranks 17 there is a connecting rod LS, on the upper ends of which are the usual pistons which operate in the cylinders. The crank case extended to form a casing 19 for the tlywhcel Q0 and clutch 21, and in this instance the driven shaft .22 is also the clutch shaft, and its forward end is mounted in a suitable hearing 23 of the annular ball type.

13y referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the clutch 9.1 is secured to the clutch shaft 22 by a nut 24;, and the bearing 2 is secured in a recess 25 in the rear end of the cank shaft by means of a plate 26 secured to the crank shaft by the bolts 27 that also secure the flywheel 20 thereto. Any end thrust of the clutch shaft 22,caused by engaging and disengaging the clutch, may be taken by a hardened steel button 28 in the forward contracted end 29 of said clutch shaft, this button 28 making approxi mately point contact with a plunger 30 which is backed by a spring 31 and mounted in a sleeve 32 which is threaded into the bored out end of the crank shaft. The sleeve is closed by a plug 33 which forms an abutment for the spring.

The motor is provided with means for distributing oil under pressure to all of the main bearings. This means comprises a concrank stantly driven oil pump 3 shown as of the gear type, a pipe leading to a strainer 36 and a manifold pipe 37 with branch pipes 38 connecting with drilled passages 39 formed in the crank case casting and extending to each of the main bearings 13, 14, it?) and 16. The main bearing 16 is shown in section and enlarged in Fig. .2, and it will be seen that it is provided with an annular groove 40, whereby theoil delivdistributed all the way around the crank shaft bearing, and as the oil is fed under pressure, it is therefore distributed to the entire hearing. The crank shaft is also formed with a passage all, which constantly registers with the groove 40 and leads some of the oil to the interior of the crank shaft, where it is passed on to the crank pin bearings, as above suggested For the purpose of this invention, an annular groove 42 is also formed in the main bearing 16 parallel with 40 and slightly rearwardly thereof, as shown pafticularly in Figs. 1 and 2. This second groove collects some of the oil that passes under pressure through the bearing from the groove 40 and delivers it through an L-shaped passage 4:3 in the crank shaft to the recess 25 in which the bearing 23 is located. The plate2G, hereinabove described, besides retaining the hearing 23 in PhlCGrfi-lISO nearly closes the recess 25, Which rim-Jay forms an annular pocket which retains the oil so delivered to it. it is particularly desirable that the oil which is fed to this bearing 23 shall not be allowed to get into the clutch, as by so doing, the eflicioncy of the friction elements of the clutch might be seriously impaired. This invention therefore provides very efficient means for draining the oil from the recess 25. To take this surplus oil and return it to the crank case from which it is pumped, a series of-channels. as are formed in the end of the crank shaft extending diagonally and slightly radially from the recess 25 to the exterior of the crank shaft which is on posed to the inside of the crank case. By reason of these channels extending radially from the recess, centrifugal force will tend to draw the oil from the recess and deliver it to the crank case and this is augmented to some extent by an annular flange 45 formed on. the crank shaft adjacent the points of outlet of the channels is, This arrangement is particularly well shown in Fig. 2.

It is a well known fact that in a six-cyli n-- der four-cycle hydrocarbon motor in which the hearings are in ordinary running condition, the crank shaft Will practically always stop With two of the cranks approximately in the lowest position and the other four cranks balancing each other, two of them being 120 upward on one side from the lower cranks and the other two 120 upward on the other side. Advantage is taken of this fact in the present invention, and the drain channels 4st are preferably three in number, and each is arranged plane with two of the cranks of the motor this arrangement being shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. With the drain channels in thesevpositions, the recess 25 is sure, to be drained of surplus oil Whenever the factor stops, as one of these drain channels 's sure to be pointing downwardly with two of the cranks of the motor crank shaft? Thus oil is prevented fromv leaking out of the recess 25 and into the clutch or clutch casing when the motor is stopped.

A speciiicembodinient of the invention has been shown and described in detail, and it will be specifically claimed, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these details, as it Will be apparent that changes may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pateat is: v 1. The combination with a motor crank case and crank shaft therein, of a driven shaft having a bearing in the crankshaft, means for feeding oil tosaid bearing, and means for draining excess oil therefrom to the crank case.

2. The combination with a motor crank case and crank shaft therein, of a driven shaft having a bearing in the crank shaft,

in, of a driven shaft having a bearin in the j end of the crank shaft, means for fee ing oil to the crank shaft bearlngs, means for d1- verting some of said oil to said driven shaft bearing, and means for draining excess oil.

from said latter bearing to the crank case.

5. The combination with a motor crank case and the crank shaft mounted in bearings therein, of a driven shaft having a .bear-.

ing in the end of the crank shaft, said crank shaft having a channel for conveying lubricant from its bearing to said driven shaft hearing, I

6. The combination with a motor crank case and the crank shaft mounted in bear: ings therein, of a driven shaft having a hearing in the end of the crank shaft, said crank shaft having a channel for conveying lubricant from its bearing to said driven shaft bearing and another and radially extending channel to drain by centrifugal force the excess oil in said latter-bearing.

7. The combinatlon with a motor cran case and-the crank shaft mounted in bearings therein, of a driven shaft having a bearing in theend of the crank shaft, and means for feeding oil under pressure to said crank shaft bearings, said crank shaft "having a channel for conveying lubricant from its bearing to said driven shaft bearing.

8. The combination With a motor crank case and the crank shaft mounted in bearings therein,-of a driven shaft having a hearing in the end of the crank shaft, and means for feeding oil under pressure to said crank shaft bearings, said crank shaft having a channel for conveying lubricant from its bearing to said driven shaft bearing and another and radially extending channel to drain by centrifugal force the excess oil in cant from 1ts bearing to said driven shaft bearing and aseries of radially extending channels for draining by centrifugal force the excess oil in said latter bearing.

10. In a multi-cylinder motor having its cranks so arranged that it will usually stop in one of several given positions, the comb1 nation with the crankcase and crank shaft thereof, of a driven shaft having a bearing in'the t'ehd, of the crank shaft, said crank shaft havlnga channel adapted to convey oil to said bearing and a plurality of radially extending channels to drain excess oil from said bearing, said latter channels being so arranged that one of them will extend downwardly from said bearing when the motor stops in any one of said several given positions.

11. In a six-cylinder hydrocarbon motor having its cranks so arranged that it will usually stop with two of its cranks at the lower dead center position, the combination with the crank case and crank shaft thereof, of a driven shaft havin a bearing in the end of the crank shaft, said crank shaft having a channel adapted to convey oil to said hearing and having drain channels extending from said bearln radially with the cranks of the crank sha t so that one of said latter channels will extend downwardly from said bearing when the motor stops with two of its cranks at lower dead center, whereby the oil in said bearing will be drained into the crank case.

In testimony whereof I afllx my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERWIN C. COOPER; Witnesses:

LERoI J. 'WILLIAMB, CLARENCE A. MAcDoNALn. 

